


warming up

by deathlytireddan



Series: ghosts in the telephone lines [3]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 01:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13776576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathlytireddan/pseuds/deathlytireddan
Summary: He feels like he’s supposed to know Dan, but he really doesn’t know anything about him at all. It’s a strangely uncomfortable feeling.





	warming up

**Author's Note:**

> I’d recommend reading the other parts first, if you want some context.
> 
> Warnings: Swearing, references to family problems, tiny kiss. If you were fine with the other parts then this should be okay too.

Dan is warm.

He fits in Phil’s arms snugly, tightly, arms around waists and necks, with a quick, shy kiss pressed into Phil’s collarbone. 

“Hi,” Dan says, voice muffled against Phil’s shoulder and giddy with relief.

Phil inhales the scent of his shampoo. 

He’s known Dan for less than a week. Just a couple of days, really. But he feels at home in the other’s arms.

—

_Hi, half past ten_

_I’m Dan Howell_

_Your soulmate I guess ^_^_

Phil waits until he’s home to answer, joy wearing off and turning into hand—shaking shock. 

Phil doesn’t really know how to feel whatever he’s supposed to feel.

He waits for the kettle to boil, listens to his parent’s indistinct voices in the other room. 

He pours the hot water into a mug, hears  
something like “Dan” and “boy” and stirs in too much instant coffee. 

It’s probably not the best for his shaking hands, but it’s familiar and comforting as he tries not to spill it on his way up the stairs.

Dan has sent more messages, nonsense rambling and asking about favorite colors. 

Phil understands how he’s feeling. 

—

“Can’t believe you’re here,” Dan mumbles. 

Phil squeezes him one last time, not wanting to let go but acutely aware of how visible they are. Two boys hugging in a train station. 

They find a Starbucks, buy the same drink, squeeze into one side of a booth. 

Dan picks at a paper napkin, folding it as small as he can.

“I don’t know what to say,” he admits. “No ones ever told me what to do if it actually—you know. Worked. Works.” 

“Yeah,” Phil agrees. He feels like he’s supposed to know Dan, but he really doesn’t know anything about him at all. It’s a strangely uncomfortable feeling.

He hears their names called, stands and brings back their coffees. 

“Thanks,” Dan says, abandoning his napkin and wrapping his long fingers around the mug.

They’re very nice hands.

Phil nudges Dan with his shoe, getting him to look up. “You don’t need to be worried. I’m nervous too, okay?” 

He hasn’t asked how old Dan is, but he looks young. Young and afraid.

Dan smiles down at the table, “Thanks, Phil.”

—

Phil’s hands are shaking again.

He’s known about his soulmate for an hour, at most. Probably closer to half an hour.

(The coffee definitely didn’t help.)

He types in Dan’s Skype name, sees it’s the only one. _danisnotonfire._

The call takes a minute to connect, and when it does it’s just a few pixels and blurry movement.

But he can see Dan. Warm eyes, warm skin, warm _everything_.

“You look warm,” he blurts out.

Dan goes red. “Shut up! I don’t.” 

And then they’re talking. About everything and nothing.

—

Their coffee is mostly gone, down to the sugary bottom, but Dan has bought a blueberry muffin and keeps breaking off pieces for Phil. 

“I watch your videos,” he says suddenly, swallowing a piece of muffin.

Phil freezes. His first thought is how embarrassing that is, his second thought is how weird that is.

“That’s weird,” he says aloud, winces immediately. 

“I mean—that we could have met anyway, maybe. We were still...you know.” He trails off, not sure how to explain.

But Dan is nodding, like he understands completely. “It is weird! We’ve always been near each other. Almost like we didn’t need the phone call. It was just a faster way. A cheat.”

—

Dan buys train tickets the next day, at 3 AM, while they’re Skyping.

—

“How long have you watched?” He silently hopes for only a few months. Not since the beginning, please. 

“Since I was...15?” Dan grins at Phil’s red ears. “I don’t have a life, sorry.” He looks suddenly worried. “Is that bad?” 

Phil shakes his head no. It’s sort of cute, how quickly Dan can change. “How old are you, anyway?”

“Eighteen.” Dan squirms. “Is that bad?” He asks again.

“Course not.” Nothing about Dan could be bad right now.

Dan chews silently, eyes fixed on his plate. He bites his lip. Phil wonders where their happiness has gone.

“I’ve always thought the whole thing is terrible. It’s ruined my family. I really don’t know how to feel.” 

Phil nudges Dan’s side, gets him to look up and make their eyes meet. “You don’t have to know how to feel. I don’t either. We’ll figure everything out. Slow as you want. If you wanna be friends we can be be friends.” Phil is desperate to keep him. 

“I sort of want to kiss you, though.”

Phil’s mouth twitches. “I won’t exactly complain.” 

“Shut up, shut up!” Dan rolls his eyes, breaking the moment with his loud laugh. “Fuck. AmazingPhil wants to kiss me.”

—

Phil is leaning against the wall, head tilted up. Dan is looking between Phil’s eyes and his mouth, something in his eyes that Phil can’t figure out. 

Phil’s parents aren’t home, won’t be for a while. 

“I want you,” Dan says. 

Phil swallows roughly. He feels sticky, wonders if that’ll turn Dan off him.

Dan leans forward, kisses the corner of Phil’s mouth.

“Can we....” Dan bites his lip. “Can we watch a movie?” 

Phil is surprised. He nods quickly, pulling a shaking Dan into him. Dan’s chin digs into his shoulder but he can’t bring himself to mind that much. 

“I’m fucking terrified, Phil. My parents aren’t together because of this. I know we’re different, we automatically have a better chance, right. But does this really mean anything? What makes us special? We’re two people, that’s all.”

Phil sighs. “I have no idea.” He kisses Dan’s shoulder, brings them as close together as he can. “I’m going to try and keep you for as long as I can. I think that’s all that really matters, in the end.”

Dan inhales, a big shuddering thing. “Promise?” 

“Promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed :)
> 
> Sorry I haven’t updated the series in a little while—life things and all that.


End file.
